asked the Minister for Trade if he will now introduce selective import controls to protect manufacturing industry.

No. The Government do not consider that a general extension of import restrictions would be to the overall advantage of the United Kingdom, although, as in the past, we are prepared to consider action in exceptional cases where this is consistent with our international obligations.

asked the Minister for Trade if he will issue an order with immediate effect under the Consumer Safety Act 1978 prohibiting the sale of plastic erasers in the form of imitation sweets; and if he will make a statement.

On 21 May, I issued a warning about the possible dangers to young children if they should swallow these imitation sweets. Since then, my Department, in co-operation with trading standards officers throughout the country, has been contacting identified suppliers, all of whom have agreed to cease supply. I hope this action will be sufficient to remove the danger, but I shall consider the need for a statutory prohibition if I receive evidence that supplies are continuing to reach the market.

asked the Minister for Trade whether he will take steps to create a pilotage authority for the Haven ports.

Under section 6(1)(a) of the Merchant Shipping Act 1979, it is the duty of the Pilotage Commission

"to keep under consideration the organisation of pilotage services at ports in and waters off the coasts of the United Kingdom, to consider suggestions for changes in the organisation of those services which are made to the Commission by persons appearing to the Commission to be interested in the organisation of them and to make proposals for such changes in the organisation of those services as the Commission considers appropriate".

I have drawn the Commission's attention to the hon. Member's question.

asked the Minister for Trade if, in framing future policy on the siting of airports, he will take account of the effect that any major extension of airport facilities in the south of England will have on the relatively less prosperous northern regions and the consequential inhibition of the development of regional airports in the north.

The Government's policy is to provide airport facilities to meet demand where it arises. It. is committed to maximising the potential of regional airports to meet local demand and has authorised substantial capital expenditure allocations to this end; however, some 80 per cent. of passengers at London area airports have origins and destinations in the South-East and it is to serve this need that developments are in hand or under consideration at Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton and Stansted.

asked the Minister for Trade if it remains his policy to encourage the development of scheduled air services at Gatwick airport; and if he will make a statement.

The Government's policy remains as set out by the then Secretary of State for Trade in his statement of 13 May 1981—[Vol. 23, c. 273–751]—in which he confirmed that the provision of scheduled services from Gatwick would continue to be an important objective of the Government's policies and of all negotiations about air services of existing operators at Heathrow. He also confirmed that airlines which were not already operating scheduled international services at Heathrow would not be allowed to start services there. As a result of this policy, the range of scheduled air services available from Gatwick has grown considerably over the last few years.

asked the Minister for Trade if he has received an interim report under either section 168 of the Companies Act 1948 or section 41 of the Companies Act 1967 in respect of Corporate Management Planning Limited; whether, if such a report has been received, any action has been taken; and if he will make a statement.

I will reply to the right hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Minister for Trade (1) what arrangements are made for the annual audit of the accounts of electricity consultative councils;(2) if his Department has been asked by the Yorkshire electricity consultative council to investigate the expenses claims of members of that body; and if he will make a statement;(3) when the financial accounts of the Yorkshire electricity consultative council were last audited; who carried out the audit; to whom a report was made; and what observations were made by the auditors.

I will reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Minister for Trade if he will be renewing the appointments of members of the British Overseas Trade Advisory Council.

No. The council was set up in 1975 when the British Overseas Trade Board was only three years old as

"a useful forum of criticism and advice and an additional two-way channel of communication between the Board and industry".

Although there may have been a need for such a consultative body at that time, other means have been developed subsequently which provide excellent two-way communications between the board and industry. In particular, the BOTB chairman has regular quarterly meetings with the chairmen of the 16 area advisory groups and the BOTB chief executive has twice yearly conferences with trade associations and chambers of commmerce. In addition, the presence upon the Board of representatives from the TUC, CBI and ABCC enables these bodies to be closely associated with the important work of the BOTB.The result of these various measures has been that over the last two years no occasion has arisen when a meeting of the council was needed or has been sought by its members. As the council has clearly outlived its usefulness there is no need for it to remain in being. My right hon. Friend and I would like to thank those who have served on the council over the years for their interest and advice.

asked the Minister for Trade if he will investigate the practice among some travel agents known as cross-border ticketing; whether he will issue advice to air travellers as to their liabilities under the terms of international conventions if they purchase tickets in this manner; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to the reply, 11 June 1982, c. 172]: The practice known as cross-border ticketing consists in selling air tickets in one country for a journey originating in another. The practice has arisen because of different fares charged in different countries for similar journeys. Price differentials of this kind exist because of the varying cost and price structures of airlines worldwide, because of exchange rate fluctuations, and because of the anomalies which arise from the operation of artificial currency conversion rules which have been agreed between the airlines in IATA.Air travellers do not commit an offence against United Kingdom law if they purchase a ticket in this manner, although they can be in breach of the conditions of carriage of the airlines concerned and may thus be asked for additional payment or refused carriage.

asked the Minister for Trade when the Monopolies and Mergers Report on the supply of motor car parts is to be published; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to the reply, 26 May 1982, c. 314–15]: I am now able to give the House further information pursuant to my statement on 26 May 1982, when the Monopolies and Mergers Commission's report was published. The Commission found that a complex monopoly involving 22 car manufacturers and importers who required persons to whom they supplied car parts to acquire those parts exclusively from them, of from sources approved by them, operated against the public interest. They recommended that the car manufacturers and importers should be required to remove such exclusively clauses from their franchise agreements.The Government intend to act on the Commission's findings by means of an order under the Fair Trading Act 1973. Before making an order, my right hon. and noble Friend is required by the Act to give an opportunity for consultation. My Department has today published a notice setting out the terms of the proposed order and inviting interested persons who wish to make representations to make them to my Department in writing before 14 July.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, further to the reply to the hon. Member for Isle of Wight, dated 29 October, Official Report, c. 414, he is now able to publish the outcome of his review of the question of whether prisoners should be allowed to change their names by deed poll; and whether any decision has been reached on the request to do so by David J. Cheesman, an inmate at Parkhurst.

The review is now complete and an instruction is being prepared for governors and wardens of all Prison Department establishments which will allow prisoners to change their names, subject to their continuing to be known during the currency of their sentence by the name in which they were committed to prison. This will apply to Mr. Cheesman.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, when borstals become youth custody centres under the provisions of the Criminal Justice Bill, it is envisaged that prison officers working in these establishments will be required to wear uniforms.

It has been decided in principle that prison officers at all penal establishments in England and Wales should wear uniform. The changeover to uniform at non-uniform establishments will be phased over a period as supplies become available and is expected to be spread over about two years.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek a meeting with the British Board of Film Censors, the British Videogram Association and the Advertising Standards Authority to discuss what action might be taken to deal with horror and terror video films which specialise in portraying violence; and if he will make a statement.

These bodies have kept my right hon. Friend informed of the action which they have taken or propose and we see no need for a meeting at this stage. We shall be keeping a close watch on further developments in this field.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many seizures of horror and terror video films were carried out by the Metropolitan Police and police elsewhere in the United Kingdom in each of the last five years or for the nearest convenient dates.

This information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many officers are assigned to instant response units in each of the 24 districts of the Metropolitan Police;

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to a question by the hon. Member for Battersea, South, (Mr. Dubs) on 8 June. [Vol. 25, c. 15–16]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what occasions, in each of the 24 districts of the Metropolitan Police instant response units have been used in situations involving the maintenance of public order.

In Notting Hill on 20 April this year, a local immediate response unit and others from adjoining districts dealt with an incident of spontaneous public disorder. In addition, immediate response units are regularly deployed in the policing of public order events such as marches and demonstrations. Details of that deployment could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many police support units there are in each of the 24 districts of the Metropolitan Police; and how many officers are assigned to them in each of these districts;(2) how many times the police support units, in each of the 24 police districts of the Metropolitan Police, have been mobilised in each of the past four years; and for what purpose the mobilisation was authorised on each occasion.

The term "police support unit" is not employed by the Metropolitan Police.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce legislation to raise the deposit required by candidates for parliamentary elections.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to a question by the hon. and learned Member for Leicester, West (Mr. Janner) on 18 March.—[Vol. 20, c. 173.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements have been made for senior attendance centres; where these are located; how many places they provide; and what arrangements exist for London.

In accordance with the policy indicated in the White Paper on Young Offenders, the Government are extending the provision of attendance centres for young men aged 17 and under 21. In 1979 there were only two. Now, outside London, there are senior attendance centres at Manchester, Nottingham, Newcastle upon Tyne, Leicester, Runcorn, Knowsley, Sheffield, Birmingham, Fareham, Leeds and Cardiff. So far as London is concerned, the senior attendance centre at Greenwich is to be closed later this year and, in readiness, a new centre opened in East London in April. More centres are being planned: two—at Bristol and Middlesbrough—are due to open next month.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department which. European Community countries either take no action or allow the possession of small amounts or the free use of cannabis for personal use.

No country in the European Community allows the free use of cannabis for personal consumption. However, the extent to which controls over its use are implemented varies. At a Ministerial meeting in November 1981 of the European Co-operation Group to combat drug abuse and illicit trafficking in drugs (which comprises the ten members of the European Community, Sweden and Turkey) it was agreed that any attempt to legalise cannabis (except for possible therepeutic purposes or research) should be opposed, but the methods of controlling the use of it and traffic in it should be reviewed, this review is in progress.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of permitted demonstrations and marches which took place in London on Sunday 6 June; and if he will estimate the police costs incurred as a result.

We understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the only events of any scale, none of which required permission, were one demonstration preceded by three marches. It is not yet possible to estimate the additional cost to public funds of the officers deployed; the gross cost is estimated at £621,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what grants his Department makes to voluntary organisations concerned to establish new programmes for juvenile offenders as an alternative to custody; if he will list the organisations and the amounts involved; and what are the comparable figures for each of the last five years at constant prices.

The making of grants to voluntary organisations for work with juvenile offenders is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services. Grants given by the Home Office to voluntary organisations concerned primarily with adults may on occasion be used for juveniles; but no separate figures ire available to indicate the extent of such expenditure.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when his advisory committee on radio interference last met; and when it is intended to meet again.

The committee last met on 10 September 1981 to consider draft regulations on the control of interference from citizens' band radio apparatus. It completed its consideration of the regulations at that meeting and there are no plans to hold a further meeting.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to ensure that any hon. Member whose name appeared on the list of potential victims discovered during the police investigation of the attempted assassination of the Israeli ambassador is informed accordingly.

It would not be appropriate to comment on material which may be relevant to the case arising from the attack on Mr. Argov. However, hon. Members can be assured that the police at all times take whatever steps are possible to ensure their safety.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many people arrested by the Metropolitan Police since 1 January 1979 have become resident informants; what prison sentences they have subsequently received (a) on conviction and (b) on appeal; how many of them have been awarded special remission by prison authorities and how many of them have been released on parole since 1 January 1979;(2) how many successful prosecutions have resulted from information provided by resident informants in Metropolitan Police custody

My noble Friend will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications have been received by International Social Service of Great Britain for repatriation assistance under section 29 of the Immigration Act 1971 in each of the last five years.

The information is as follows:

Financial Year	Application Received
1977–78	207
1978–79	217
1979–80	132
1980–81	163
1981–82	459

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Basildon of 8 June, Official Report, c. 17, whether he will take steps to require International Social Service of Great Britain to make an annual report to his Department concerning its administration of the Government's repatriation scheme; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has at present no plans to do so. International Social Service of Great Britain is already required to submit annually to the Department audited accounts of its administration of the repatriation scheme. In addition, it sends us a copy of its annual report to its members which invariably refers to its work on repatriation; and it is always willing to make further information available on request.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Basildon of 8 June, Official Report, c. 17, if he will publish in the Official Report the audited accounts of International Social Service of Great Britain for each of the last five years.

In view of their length it would be inappropriate to publish these accounts in the Offical Report, but I am sending to my hon. Friend and placing in the Library of the House copies of the accounts for the last four financial years for which they are available. We will take similar action when my right hon. Friend receives audited accounts for the financial year 1981–82.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Basildon of 8 June, Official Report, c. 8, if he will describe the types of information about the Government's repatriation scheme which his Department makes available to local authorities, citizens' advice bureaux, community relations councils and chief officers of police; whether this information is updated and with what frequency; and if he will arrange to place copies of the information so provided in the Library.

To exemplify the information which has been provided, I have sent to my hon. Friend copies of Home Office circulars No. 244/1971 and No. 64/1973 which were issued to local authorities. Copies are in the Library of the House. They provide a general description of the arrangements for repatriation under section 29 of the Immigration Act 1971, together with information about the extent of the assistance available and the criteria for assessing applications. The essential elements of these arrangements have not changed since 1973 and no further circular has been issued since then.

asked the Prime Minister whether Her Majesty's Government will seek to resolve the issues oustanding in the Falkland Islands within a regional framework to include British Antarctic Territory, South Georgia, the South Sandwich Islands and the Falkland Islands.

We certainly view the Falklands within the context of the region as a whole, but there are differing considerations affecting the various territories concerned. In particular, British Antarctic Territory is governed by the Antarctic treaty, while the Falkland Islands themselves have a population whom the British Government will wish to consult about their future after normal conditions have been restored.

asked the Prime Minister, pursuant to the general intent expressed in the preamble to the Antarctic treaty whether the Government will recommend the establishment of an international Antarctica authority comparable to the international seabed authority to be formed under the Treaty on the Law of the Sea.

No. I believe that the Antarctic Treaty of 1959 is the best framework for collaboration concerning minerals in the Antarctic. Different considerations apply to minerals in the deep sea bed.

asked the Prime Minister what progress has been made by Her Majesty's Government since 1979 in strengthening the links between the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries.

The Government's links with the Commonwealth have developed very satisfactory since 1979 and we continue to give substantial support to a wide range of the association's institutions and activities. Our relations with the Commonwealth are excellent. I have been particularly gratified by the warm support which so many Commonwealth Governments have given us over the Falkland crisis.

asked the Prime Minister whether she had any discussion with her Spanish counterpart on the question of Gibraltar during the NATO Alliance meeting on 10 June; and if she will make a statement.

I did not discuss Gibraltar with the Spanish Prime Minister on this occasion. We continue to look forward to the implementation of the measures set out in the Lisbon statement, on 25 June as planned.

asked the Prime Minister what information she has about the Spanish Government's proposal for an exclusive southern command in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation; whether such a command would include Gibraltar; and if she will ensure that no decision contrary to the wishes of the people of Gibraltar is taken.

Adjustments to NATO's command structure as a result of Spanish entry will be a matter for negotiation within NATO, where the interests of all concerned will be taken into account. We are unaware of any proposals having been made by the Spanish Government to NATO authorities.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will make a statement on the NATO conference in Bonn.

Accompanied by my right hon. Friend the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary, I attended a North Atlantic Council meeting of Heads of State and Government in Bonn on 9–10 June. This was the first Ministerial meeting attended by Spain as a full member of the Alliance. We published a Programme of Peace in Freedom, based on the democratic values which NATO defends. I have placed a copy in the Library.We resolved to maintain adequate military strength to prevent war and deter aggression, and to aim for greater effectiveness in the allocation of national resources to defence. We agreed that militarily significant and verifiable arms control agreements, in both the nuclear and conventional fields, could also contribute to our security. We called on the Soviet Union to respond to the comprehensive series of proposals which the West has put forward. We re-stated our belief that all the principles and provisions of the Helsinki Final Act must be applied.Colleagues who spoke in session about the Falklands repeated their full support for British policy and for Her Majesty's Government's attempts to put an end to aggression against British sovereign territory. The Heads of State and Government also discussed the situation in Lebanon.

asked the Attorney-General what decision he has reached on the siting of the proposed new law courts in Bristol.

No decision has yet been reached. The Lord Chancellor's Department and the Property Services Agency are considering a number of possible alternative sites, about which local interests will shortly be consulted. Information about these possible sites will be circulated later this month, with an invitation to attend a meeting in Bristol before the end of July.

asked the Attorney-General how many of the 14 cases referred by the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland to the appropriate authorities in the Republic of Ireland resulted in trials of the persons involved; and what were the verdicts.

The cases of nine persons referred by the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary to the appropriate authorities in the Republic of Ireland have resulted in trials under the provisions of the relevant extra-territorial legislation. Six persons have been convicted and three acquitted.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many larger firms accounted for the upper half of output in and since 1976 in (a) construction and (b) retail sales.

The information is estimated as follows:

	Number of larger undertakings accounting for half of construction output	Number of larger businesses accounting for half of retail sales
1976	900	350
1977	900	300
1978	1,100	200
1979	1,150	150
1980	Not available	165

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the cost of armour purchased by the Tower of London at Christie's recent sale of arms and armour.

At a sale of arms and armour on 7 April 1982, the Tower of London bought 14 lots of arms at a total cost of £23,112·18 including 8 per cent. buyers premium and 15 per cent. VAT. No armour was purchased.

Winterton asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in reaching a decision on whether to build London's third airport at Stansted, he will take into account the opposition of the North of England regional consortium to the siting of the airport at Stansted.

The North of England regional consortium has submitted evidence to the Stansted inquiry. The inspector is to hear the case and will give due consideration to this when making his recommendation to my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for the Environment and for Trade.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will seek to legislate to extend statutory control of the production and movement of hazardous wastes;(2) if he will take steps to introduce a system for the registration of producers and the licensing of carriers of hazardous wastes.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 27 May to my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Burton (Mr. Lawrence).—[Vol. 24, c. 402.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any information on the number of local authorities that are confining recruitment of junior clerical officers to the geographic limit of the authority.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he next expects to visit the Merseyside Development Corporation, and what matters will be considered at that meeting.

I regularly meet members and officers of the Merseyside Development Corporation during my visits to Merseyside, and I shall continue to do so. Discussions at those meetings range over the whole spectrum of the corporation's activities

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied with the working of the Caravan Sites Act; and whether he now proposes any amendment to it.

Two important amendments to the Caravan Sites Act 1968 were made in the recent Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980. I should like to see how these work out before deciding whether any further amendments are required.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimates his Department has made of the number of gipsies moving about the United Kingdom without permanent homes.

The latest figures show that there are 3,800 gipsy caravans on unauthorised encampments in England in January 1982.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what plans or proposals he has received concerning the construction of a rapid transit rail service for the London docklands.

The GLC and the London Docklands Development Corporation have, in consultation with officials in the Departments of Transport and the Environment, been preparing an appraisal of possible light rail schemes in the London docklands. I expect that a formal proposal will be put forward towards the end of this month.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has received from the Greater London Council for an integrated transport policy for London; and if he will make a statement.

The only transport policy proposals that have been prepared by this GLC were set out in the TPP it prepared last summer which was dominated by its irresponsible and unworkable low-fares policies. I have asked it to prepare plans which have regard to the needs of all transport users by road and by rail and to a sensible level of resources, and I have asked it to take as a guideline the current level. I shall regard the capacity of the GLC to produce satisfactory plans in the light of the guidance it has received as a measure of its capacity to continue to discharge the transport functions currently vested in it.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many soldiers and policemen, whether part-time or full-time, and civilians have died in Northern Ireland as a result of terrorist activity since July 1981.

Between 1 July 1981 and 9 June 1982, 17 soldiers, 12 policemen and 53 civilians died in Northern Ireland as a result of terrorist activity or in other incidents arising from the security situation.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales when he proposes to give final approval to the proposed new Roman Catholic primary school for Buckley; what is the proposed size; what is the estimated cost; what is the proposed opening date; if there will be nursery places; how many places for the building of the school are envisaged; and if he will make a statement.

Approval has been given. The school building will occupy a site of approximately 0·13 hectares and will provide 185 places, of which 10 will be nursery places. The cost is estimated to be of the order of £350,000 and the building is expected to be completed by the autumn of 1984. The opening date is a matter for the local education authority and the Church authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will sanction a 30 mph speed limit to replace the existing 40 mph limit for the whole of the Saltney High Street inclusive of the frontage of St. David's High School, Saltney; if he will enter into consultations with the Clwyd county council and the North Wales police authority; and if he will make a statement.

The road concerned is a principal road for which the Clwyd county council is the highway authority. It is for the council to consider whether any changes in the speed limit should be made. They would, of course, require my right hon. Friend's approval.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what information is available to him as to the number of skilled engineering craftsmen required to be recruited by the engineering industry in 1982; and what is the number of apprentices who will complete their indentures in 1982.

A sample survey undertaken by the Engineering Industry Training Board indicates that in the 1982–83 financial year about 6,000 craft and 3,000 technician apprentices will be recruited by the industry. The board considers this intake inadequate to the longer-term skill needs of the industry, and as a result the Government have made £4 million available to the board to encourage the recruitment of further apprentices in this period.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what considerations he is giving to the number and location of jobcentres; whether private employment agencies have made representations about Ihe competition provided by the jobcentres; and if he will make a statement.

I will reply to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment to how many non-official bodies his Department makes grants; and what was the total paid.

The information requested could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give a detailed breakdown of the registered unemployment in all the towns which make up the Walsall travel-to-work area; and what has been the increase in unemployment in these towns since May 1979.

Between May 1979 and May 1982 the numbers registered as unemployed in the Walsall travel to-work area increased by 20,215.The following table gives details of the numbers unemployed at May 1982 in the employment office areas comprising the Walsall travel-to-work area.

	Male	Female	Total
Aldridge	532	222	754
Brownhills	1,944	649	2,593
Cannock	3,666	1,583	5,249
Lichfield	1,761	852	2,613
Rugeley	1,063	693	1,756
Walsall	9,109	3,217	12,326
Willenhall	2,422	931	3,353

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will estimate the percentage of the British work force which is represented by the ethnic minorities; and if he will express the percentage and total work force in numerical terms.

Preliminary results from the labour force survey suggest that in 1981 there were 25,737,000 economically-active persons in Great Britain of whom 908,000 (3·5 per cent.) were identified as of non-white ethnic origin.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he has recently visited the Manpower Services Commission's headquarters in Sheffield; if he is satisfied that all its staff are gainfully employed; if he will consider whether the economies in staffing would lead to improvements in its cost effectiveness; and if he is satisfied with the manner in which its staff are supervised.

I have visited the Manpower Services Commission's headquarters in Sheffield on a number of occasions. I am actively concerned to ensure that the organisation carries out its responsibilities as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible. Over the last three years, economies have been made in the staffing of the Commission in a number of areas including its headquarters operation. The chairman of the Commission and his senior management are responsible for detailed operational matters, and I am confident that they will ensure that staff are fully and properly employed.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will review the staffing levels at the Manpower Services Commission's headquarters in Sheffield.

The chairman of the Commission is responsible for the efficient and cost effective use of the staff it employs in discharging its responsibilities, and I am assured that staffing reviews are being carried out in head office branches already in Sheffield, and that other reviews are planned as work is transferred there under the dispersal programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what has been the total capital investment by British Telecom in communications equipment.

British Telecom valued its fixed assets in communications equipment at £7,000 million on 31 March 1981 and it invested nearly £1,500 million in such equipment in the immediately preceding year. The BT accounts for 1981–82 are likely to show that a further substantial sum was invested in that year.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what consultations are taking place between Government and industry on progress towards a broad network of cable television in Great Britain.

As I told the House during the debate on 20 April, Departments are at work under the coordination of the Cabinet Office considering the recommendations of the ITAP report. Consultations with British Industry are continuing and several parties have made representations to us.In addition, the noble Lord, Lord Hunt of Tanworth and his colleagues on the inquiry into the broadcasting aspects of the possible expansion of cable are now considering the submissions and evidence they have received. The Government hope to announce their policy towards the introduction of wideband cable systems before the end of this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make a statement on the progress of his consultations with organisations representing smaller firms on the expansion of the loan guarantee scheme.

As part of my preliminary review of the loan guarantee scheme, and following the Departmental sample study which has just been completed, I have now written to the main small firms organisations asking them for their views on the various aspects of the scheme's operation which seem to me to be of particular significance at this stage. I intend to meet them within the next month to discuss their responses. My hon. Friend will be interested to learn that the provisional figures for the first year of the scheme show that the total of guaranteed loans issued was £149·1 million to 4,440 businesses.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he has now reached an agreement with the Council of Ministers of the European Economic Community, as a result of initiatives by the Commission of the European Economic Community and special steel producers, to limit production of special steels, to stabilise and consolidate prices, and to rationalise the industry on a European scale.

I had no support at the 8 June Council for my request to apply mandatory quotas to certain special steels (tool and high speed). The European Commission agreed to issue firm guidelines and to monitor their effectiveness. I put the Council on notice that Ministers would need to look again at this question in October.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry when he next plans to meet the president of the Textile Industry Confederation to consider Government support for the textile industry.

I met the president of the British Textile Industry Confederation on 11 May and have no present plans to meet him again. I am always ready to listen to the confederations' views.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry when he last met the chairman of British Aerospace to discuss future Government financial support for the aerospace industry.

Department of Industry Ministers have had several meetings recently with Sir Austin Pearce. One of the topics discussed at those meetings has been the question of possible Government support for British Aerospace projects.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry when he last met representatives of the Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions to discuss support for British shipbuilding.

The last ministerial meeting with the CSEU on shipbuilding was held in June 1981. My right hon. Friend met the CSEU in October last year, but shipbuilding was not raised.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what assessment he has made of the comparative productivity of the public and private sectors of the steel industry.

A meaningful assessment cannot easily be made, since comparable output and employment data for the public and private sectors are not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what was the share of the top 100 companies in (a) manufacturing output, (b) manufacturing employment and (c) manufacturing assets in and since 1975.

Figures provided in the following table relate to the manufacturing activity of the top 100 enterprises in the private sector, defined in terms of their employment in manufacturing. No comparable estimates are available for the stock of manufacturing assets, but figures are shown for net capital expenditure incurred in each year. Estimates relating to 1980 will become available later this year.

Top 100 Enterprises (by Employment)
	Per cent. Share of top 100 enterprises in total
	Net output	Employment	Net Capital Expenditure
1975	38	36	37
1976	39	35	35
1977	37	35	39
1978	37	35	40
1979	37	35	40
Source: Annual Census of Production.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many motor cars were manufactured in the United Kingdom in each of the past five years, and how many were exported.

This information is published in British Business (page 187 of issue of 28 May 1982, a copy of which is in the House of Commons Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry (1) if he is satisfied with existing Community policy in relation to the wool textile industry; if he will examine schemes existing in other European Economic Community countries such as France, Belgium and Holland designed to assist and aid their wool textile industries; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will consider the introduction of new policies for aid to the wool textile industry; and if he will make a statement;(3) what steps he is taking to ensure that the competition policy of the European Economic Community relating to wool textiles is being fully carried out and implemented; and if he will make a statement.

The Government share the concern of the wool textile industry, and other industries in the United Kingdom textile and clothing sector, about the increasing levels of state aid reported in other member countries of the European Community. The investigation of aid schemes is a matter for the European Commission. Last month, my right hon. Friend urged the Commission to reconsider the effectiveness of the existing machinery for controlling aids in this sector with a view to cutting short what is becoming a dangerous spiral of Government assistance.The Government believe that halting the growth of aids elsewhere in line with EEC competition policy is the better way to deal with this problem. The wool textile industry has received substantial assistance through two sectoral schemes under Section 8 of the Industry Act 1972. The Government have no plans to introduce another.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if present policy to change assisted areas in August is implemented, which areas of England, Scotland and Wales having an unemployment percentage of 12·3 per cent. or higher at the May count will become non-assisted; what is the percentage unemployed in each of these areas; which areas that have 12·3 per cent. or lower unemployment will continue to be assisted areas; and what is the percentage unemployment in each of these cases.

The information is as follows:

(i) Areas due to become non-assisted on 1 August 1982 with May 1982 unemployment rate of 12·3 per cent. or more
Country and Travel-to-Work-Area	Unemployment Rate per cent.
England
Accrington	15·4
Alfreton	13·9
Ashton-under-Lyne	13·9
Blackburn	14·0
Bolton	15·9
Burnley	12·5
Bury	13·6
Castleford	12·6
Chester	12·4
Chesterfield	12·4
Dewsbury	13·8
Haltwhistle*	12·4
Huddersfield	12·7
Leigh	15·9
Manchester	13·0
Nelson	14·0
Northwich	14·7
Oldham and Chadderton	14·8
Ormskirk* (Skelmersdale New Town is to retain Special Development Area status)	22·0
Rochdale	16·8
Rossendale	16·0
Sheffield	12·6
Todmorden	13·3
Warrington	14·2
Scotland
Buckie*	14·3
Dumfries*	12·3
Eyemouth*	14·8
Forres*	19·5
Fraserburgh*	12·9
Nairn*	15·0
Wales

asked the Secretary of State for Industry (1) when the pilot study on a Europort data bank was commenced; when it is expected to be completed; and what is the main purpose behind the study;(2) what consultants are being employed on the Europort data bank pilot study; what is the estimated cost to public funds of the study; and what is the estimated cost of employing the consultants;(3) if he will give the names and locations of the organisations which have been selected to have terminals as part of the pilot study on a Europort data bank; who proposed these specific locations; and what criteria were used in their selection.

I will reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what percentage of the funds directed to aid for the Third world countries was spent in the United Kingdom on the purchase of canned meat and fish which was processed at factories in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

The value of aid-financed orders for canned meat and fish received at Scottish factories in 1981 was about £160,000. Demand in developing countries for these commodities is limited. Our total gross expenditure on aid in 1981 was £1,037 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further obligations the United Kingdom intends to undertake in relation to the African development fund.

The boards of governors of the African development bank and fund approved a resolution on 8 May 1982 for the replenishment of the resources of the African development fund in a total of 1,008 million fund units of account—about US $1,059 million. Of that sum, the United Kingdom's share will be 43 million fund units of account, or £24,170,300, for which I shall shortly seek Parliamentary approval.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is satisfied that the current costs of published statutory instruments are not prohibitive for the bodies which need to purchase statutory instrument papers to ensure that they are in compliance with the law.

Statutory Instruments are priced solely to recover the full costs of printing, publishing, distributing and selling them. Some 70 per cent. of them cost less than £1.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 8 June, when he expects the outturn figures for public expenditure in 1981–82 to be available.

Provisional outturn figures for public expenditure in 1981–82 will be published on Friday 30 July in table 2.4 of the July 1982 issue of Financial Statistics.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why the Companies (Floating Charges and Receivers) (Scotland) Act 1972 to which several references are made in the recently published Cork report is out of print and not obtainable from Her Majesty's Stationery Office.

I shall let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exhequer what consideration has been given to the possibility of value added tax being levied on adult education fees; and which local education authorities have been approached by Customs and Excise officers in connection with value added tax assessment of students' fees.

The value added tax treatment of adult education courses, except where provided by schools and universities supplying exempt education, depends on the level of the charge made to the participants and the nature and content of the courses.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the statutory provisions governing the provision of incentive travel for staff without incurring tax liability.

[pursuant to his reply, 11 June 1982, c. 173]: Sections 181 and 183 of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1970 charge to tax the emoluments of any office or employment and define "emoluments" as including

"all salaries, fees, wages, perquisites or profits whatsoever".

Section 36, of the Finance (No. 2) Act 1975 further provides that any employee who receives, by reason of his employment, vouchers exchangeable for money goods or services is liable to tax on the cost of providing the money, goods or services.In addition, section 61 of the Finance Act 1976 treats as emoluments the cost of providing any benefit to a director or higher paid employee—that is, an employee whose remuneration including reimbursed expenses and benefits exceeds £8,500 a year—which would not otherwise be chargeable to tax as income. It is only if incentive travel arrangements do not fall within any of these provisions that they are not taxable under schedule E.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the purpose and result of the 24-hour vigil at the Franklin Delano Roosevelt memorial in Grosvenor Square on 5 and 6 June, organised by the British Atlantic Committee; and what arrangements were made for publicity.

The British Atlantic Committee is an all-party organisation and its activities are not a responsibility of the Government. I understand that the vigil, held to demonstrate support for NATO and our close relationship with the United States, was worthwhile and successful. The organisers circulated information about the vigil widely to the media. Radio news reporters, journalists and cameramen attended.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether there has been any change in policy or practice on the issue or renewal of passports to any category of civilian since 1 April or whether any such changes are contemplated.

No such changes have been made End none are contemplated.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will review his decision not to allow the questioning of Alfredo Astiz on charges brought by Sweden and France; whether, since a state of war does not exist between the United Kingdom and Argentina, he will consider applications for his extradition; and if he will made a statement.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 11 June to my hon. Friend the Member for Morecambe and Lonsdale (Mr. Lennox-Boyd).

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why it was decided not to prosecute Commander Astiz in connection with alleged breaches of civil and human rights under international law; and if he will make a statement.

International instruments on human rights do not create crimes which can be tried in the country where the alleged offender is to be found, irrespective of the place of commission of the offence. The crimes which Lieutenant-Commander Astiz is alleged to have committed did not take place in the United Kingdom or in any British territory, and he is not a national of the United Kingdom. Our courts would not therefore have had any jurisdiction in respect of the alleged offences. Thus the question of whether or not he should be prosecuted did not arise.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether South Africa has banned arms sales to Argentina or whether he has received assurance from that country that such sales are not taking place during the current Falkland Islands conflict; and if he will make a statement.

We have had no private or other assurances from the South African Government going beyond the Defence Minister's public statement on 24 May that

"South Africa has not provided or sold any missiles or aeroplane parts in any way as has been reported, before or during the Falklands conflict".

We have impressed on the South African Government the strong reaction they would have to expect from both the Government and the British people if it became known that these or other arms were to reach Argentina from South Africa while the conflict continues.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, in view of the fact that missiles have been transferred to an Argentine airline from a Peruvian airline which had flown from Israel, at Lima on 21 May, he will make representations to the Israeli Government to stop the supply of arms to Argentina.

We have drawn the attention of the Israeli Government to reports of Israeli military supplies reaching Argentina They have denied that there was any truth in this report of Israeli missiles reaching Argentina through Peru.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he had discussions with his Spanish counterpart on the question of Gibraltar during the NATO alliance meeting on 10 June; and if he will make a statement.

When my right hon. Friend attended the NATO summit on 10 June he had some discussion with the Spanish Foreign Minister on a variety of subjects, as he did with other NATO colleagues. This discussion included the subject of Gibraltar, in the context of implementation, on 25 June, of the Lisbon agreement.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) whether further progress has been made between Her Majesty's Government and the Spanish Government on the lifting of the restrictions at the border between Gibraltar and Spain; and if he will make a statement;(2) whether he has received an assurance from the Spanish Government that the Spanish border between Gibraltar and Spain will be opened on 25 June.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply my right hon. Friend the Member for Mid-Oxon (Mr. Hurd) gave on 5 May to the hon. Member for Battersea, South (Mr. Dubs). Both Her Majesty's Government and the Spanish Government are committed to the implementation of the Lisbon agreement on 25 June.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what guidance has been issued to the people of Gibraltar who wish to apply for the status of British nationals which was granted to the inhabitants of that dependent territory under the British Nationality Act; and if he will make a statement.

The Gibraltar authorities are carrying out a study of the procedures they will need to adopt in order to deal with applications for British citizenship. They expect to issue guidance to the Gibraltar public well before the British Nationality Act takes effect in January 1983.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he intends to attend the Sintra talks between Her Majesty's Government and the Spanish Government on 25 June.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will list the occupations of regional health authority chairmen, regional health authority members and area health authority chairmen and members, following his latest series of appointments.

We are currently considering the appointment of regional health authority chairmen and will shortly be considering nominations for membership of regional health authorities. I will write to the hon. Member when the appointments have been made.Area health authorities were succeeded on 1 April 1982 by district health authorities the members of which are appointed by regional health authorities and local

authorities. Information about members of district health authorities is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. As to chairmen of district health authorities, who were appointed by my right hon. Friend, the information is as follows:

Category of occupation	No. of DHA chairmen
Health and allied	21
Non-medical academics	10
Local government	17
Trades union	2
Manual	3
Directors and businessmen	42
Managerial	9
Other professionals	19
Retired	38
Housewives	13
Farmers and landowners	4
Others	14

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many persons who are unemployed are in receipt of supplementary benefit.

About 1·5 million people were required to register for work as a condition of receiving benefit in February 1982, the latest date for which information is available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the rate of increase in pay for (a) doctors and (b) radiographers in each year from 1978 to 1980.

The average percentage increases were:

	Doctors	Radiographers
1978	10·0	9·9
1979	25·7	25·8
1980	31·4	14·0

The awards to doctors in 1979 and 1980 include the last stages of a phased catching-up exercise.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will amend the Social Security Industrial Injuries (Prescribed Diseases) Regulations to extend their application to persons who have been employed in the glass industry for 10 years and who suffer from occupational deafness.

The benefit provisions for occupational deafness are at present being reviewed by the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council, the independent body which advises my right hon. Friend on the working of the industrial injuries scheme. Whether the regulations should be amended will be considered in the light of the council's report. I have drawn its attention to the hon. Member's suggestion.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services by what percentage he expects the staff and other overhead costs of dispensing doctors to increase in 1982–83; and what were his reasons for implementing the recommendation of the Doctors and Dentists Review Body that the average remuneration from oncost and professional fees of dispensing doctors should be increased by 9.9 per cent. in the same period.

The expenses arising from dispensing carried out by general practitioners are not separately identified. The Government accepted the judgment of the review body about the provision which should be made in 1982–83 for practice expenses including those on dispensing, falling to be met indirectly through gross fees and allowances. This indicated a figure for the average practitioner of £9,260 as against the figure intended for 1981–82 of £8,500. The Government were unable to accept the recommendation of the Doctors' and Dentists' Review Body for the increase in intended average net remuneration of general medical practitioners. As a result of the abatement made it is intended that average gross remuneration from on-cost and professional fees in respect of dispensing should increase by 7.8 per cent. in 1982–83.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the rate of infant mortality in the Leek parliamentary constituency in the most recent year for which figures are available; and how this compares with the rate for England.

Mortality rates are not calculated for parliamentary constituencies. The 1980 infant mortality rates for Staffordshire Moorlands county district which includes most of the Leek parliamentary constituency, and for England, were:

	Deaths under 1 year per 1,000 live births
England	12·0
Staffordshire Moorlands	(16 deaths) 13·3

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the doctor to patient ratio in the area covered by the Leek parliamentary constituency; and how this compares with the doctor to patient ratio in England and Wales.

The ratio of unrestricted principals in general medical practice to patients in the practice areas which together comprise the Leek parliamentary constituency was, at 1 October 1980, 1:2,606. The corresponding figure for England and Wales was 1:2,238.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he intends to reply to the letter addressed to the Minister for Health by the right hon. Member for Lewisham, East dated 16 April.

I wrote to the right hon. Member on 11 June.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has yet reached a decision about the Acheson report on primary health care in inner London; and if he will make a statement.

I have nothing to add to my reply of 25 May.—[Vol. 24, c. 293.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action will be taken by his Department to inform recipients of topping-up supplementary benefit under the new housing benefit scheme of their entitlement to free prescriptions and other "passport" benefits; and if he will make a statement.

The administration of housing benefit supplement (as "topping-up" will be known) will be largely handled by local authorities, subject to the authorisation of awards by supplementary benefit officers. We propose that successful claimants will be informed of their entitlement to the supplement by means of a standard letter from their local authority. This will draw attention to the claimant's rights to free prescriptions and other "passport" benefits.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action will be taken by his Department to ensure that disabled people and others who had been receiving the ordinary rate of supplementary benefit and are floated off by the housing benefit scheme will be returned to the long-term rate of supplementary benefit after 12 months in total on supplementary benefit and housing benefit and if he will make a statement.

The local authority will be asked to confirm that housing benefit is in payment on the date the claimant would have qualified for the long-term rate of supplementary benefit. If it is, he will be invited to claim supplementary benefit from that date.